Dropped new domains: learn why it matters

"Dropped domains" do not necessarily mean something to traditional Registrants (those who buy domain names) but law firms should pay attention to this subject for one simple reason: once a domain was dropped and collected on a list (the Registry below offers this service), it is "more" at risk from being registered by a third party. If you are in charge of managing a domain name portfolio and don't understand what I just wrote, 2 options:

1. Call me;
2. Change your job ;-)

News:

1. New gTLDs related to SPORT;
2. 1,000 three to four character ".club"  domain names are still available;
3. ICANN - Study Finds Increased Awareness and Trust in Domain Name System;
4. Community Objection Rehearing re .SPORTS;
5. New gTLDs related to REAL ESTATE;
6. New - .STREAM new gTLD to launch this week;
7. A Registry has launched a tool to find dropped domains;
8. LOL - "I suggest you do an availability check if you didn’t protect your brand in Sunrise";
9. Article - Who really cares about new gTLDs?
10. More coming.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

Is the ".contact" new gTLD coming?

I just noticed a new Registry website. In fact, it is not new but it was updated. Top Level Spectrum has 5 new gTLDs in its list: .CONTACT - .FORUM - .REALTY - .FEEDBACK and .PID.
It seems that the innovation is built around a certain platform: "A platform for hosting contact sites. Conversations have never been so easy". The first thing that comes to my mind is something like what .TEL did in the past. Let's see what kind of innovation this multiple Registry is about to offer.

News

1. Podcast - It takes a lot of money to build a TLD into a brand;
2. The .BLOG new gTLD could be a multi $100 million business;
3. New gTLDs related to COMPANIES (in our Newsletter only);
4. 100,000 - Benchmark for .GDN: this is not something to be ignored;
5. Domain name registration volumes:
1. New gTLDs related to Finance;
   (were added the .ACCOUNTANT & .ACCOUNTANTS new gTLDs)
2. New gTLDs related to the Law;
   (was added the .FAIRWINDS new gTLD)
3. New gTLDs related to Colors.
6. The .VIP new gTLD to generate 6 millions in month 1 after launch;
7. Lesson learned - .INSURANCE and .BANK Tell Consumer Safety Story;
8. Domaining - Is SEDO dying?
9. New gTLD investment - "The Donuts Panic";
10. More coming.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

An offer received for a new domain name?

Just like many people involved in new gTLDs or domain names, I put domain names on sale: sometimes to learn about selling platforms and sometimes to try to sell get rid of a domain name. To be honest...I never receive offers and the reason for this might because the domains that I sell are of no interest. Recently, I bought 2 ultra generic domain names in complete unknown domain name extensions: both have less then 4,000 registrations. The reason why I am writing about this is that I just received an offer for one of them and checking the stats of the other...there is incoming traffic to the page where it is offered: something that I rarely saw before. Is this the solution to sell domain names on Internet?

News

1. Article - Assessing Current Generic New gTLDs;
2. Article - Are brands convinced by the pull of new gTLDs?
3. Article - There are so many powerful ways to use the dotBrand;
4. ICANN56: Core issues;
5. Two more new gTLDs were delegated:
1. The .FARMERS domain name extension;
2. The .FEDEX new gTLD.
6. ICANN56 - in Helsinky - has started;
7. New domain names registration volumes:
1. New gTLDs for French speaker: the Nameshield report;
2. New gTLDs related to CITIES;
3. New gTLDs related to CATERING;
   (2 new entries in the Catering report)
4. New gTLDs related to PHOTOGRAPHY.
8. French - DNS News n°218 (June 2016): a crazy year:
1. Etat statistique des nTLDs au samedi 25/06/16 (données publiées);
2. La déferlante du .XYZ;
3. Lutte au couteau en Chine;
4. Le Côté Obscur;
5. Gouvernance de l’Internet, entre le «Pourquoi pas ?» de la NTIA et le «Pourquoi donc?» des sénateurs américains.
9. There is a group (at ICANN?) which deals with Universal Acceptance;
10. More coming during the day.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

Assessing Current Generic New gTLDs

If we are already familiar with new generic Top-Level Domains from the ICANN new gTLD program, also called "new gTLDs", are we just as familiar with these new domain name extensions, which are called "generic" and which could be an alternative to the existing ".com" domain name extension?

As the list of new gTLDs is very long, we can easily say that there is a Top-Level Domain for any kind of business: a ".club" for Clubs, a ".news" for News, a ".dentist" for Dentists, a ".actor" for Actors, etc… But what about these domain name extensions which could become an alternative for the already very popular ".com" domain names?

Read my latest article on CircleId.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

Announcing the "GENERICs" new gTLD report

We are announcing a new weekly report based on registration volumes. I have selected, what I consider generic domain name extensions, which could replace the existing .COM Top-Level Domain. This report will show the evolution of these generic TLDs week after week. We welcome your comments if you believe that some extensions are missing in this report.
News

1. Article - Differentiate your brand online and give your website a boost!
2. Breaking - Donuts to acquire Rightside?
3. Nine domain name extensions were just delegated:
1. .POLITIE
2. .ART
3. .NFL
4. .WOODSIDE
5. .TRAVELCHANNEL
6. .HGTV
7. .FRONTDOOR (was added to the Real Estate new gTLD report);
8. .FOODNETWORK (was added to the Catering new gTLD report);
9. .COOKINGCHANNEL (was added to the Catering new gTLD report).
4. New gTLD registration volumes:
1. New - New gTLDs related to GENERICS;
2. New gTLDs related to CARS;
3. New gTLDs related to HEALTH.
5. The Dutch Police has its “.politie” new gTLD.
6. More coming.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements

The .HOTELES new gTLD: did you notice?

Searching for new gTLDs related to Tourism, I stopped on the ".hoteles" domain name extension and was surprised to see that the price to register one single domain name is $65,000.00 per year. During a second, I wondered if that was the price of the TLD in an auction but no; it is the price to register one domain name.

There are 115 domain names registered according to nTLDStats.com and already 358 results in Google. I checked two websites and noticed that websites are built more or less the same way and I believe this is a strategy to install some domains with a website on Internet. I checked the Registration Policy and my understanding of it is that it is a closed TLD:

"...the TLD is intended to enhance the Latin American Hotel and Lodging Industry’s online identity and exposure to their target clientele; expand their marketing and promotion efforts; provide a secure channel for hotel bookings and reservations; and create a marketplace dedicated to the Latin American Hotel and Lodging Industry".

Unless I misread, a Spanish company cannot register a ".hoteles" domain name since applicants registrants must be headquartered and have a primary place of business in Latin America: all countries in the South American continent and the countries of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Dominica and Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saba, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands (“Latin America”).

A new Report

I wanted to create a new gTLD report for the Luxury industry but I really wonder which generic and dotbrand new gTLDs I should put into so I guess it makes no sense. I still have one slot to create a new report but I need your inputs. Please email me with suggestions. A report on new gTLDs related to TOURISM could be of interest but which TLDs to put into?

News

1. Article - Why a Website Domain is a Marketing Tool;
2. .AFRICA - Judge hands DotConnectAfrica another bizarre win;
3. How to do the promotion of a new gTLD?
4. One new gTLD was deletaged today: ".ORIENTEXPRESS";
5. Looking for an old Newsletter about new gTLDs? See here: www.newsletter.domains and click on "View previous campaigns";
6. New gTLDs related to RELIGION;
7. New gTLDs related to FRENCH new gTLD applications;
8. More coming during the day. Subscribe here.

The Nameshield Group: Registry, Corporate and Retail Registrar

Most recent Trademark Clearinghouse Sunrise Period announcements